The Hairy Ape

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"The Hairy Ape" is a play written by Eugene O'Neill in 1922. It's a powerful expressionist drama that explores themes of identity, alienation, class struggle, and the dehumanizing effects of industrialization.

The play is set in various locations including the stokehole (engine room) of an ocean liner, the streets of New York, and finally a zoo. It consists of eight scenes.

SUMMARY

Scene 1: 
The play opens in the boiler room(stokehole) of a ship, where firemen (stokers) are working in intense heat. They are sweaty, aggressive, and almost animal-like. The protagonist, Yank, is introduced as the strongest and most respected among them.

"I’m de coal dey burns, and dat makes steam and dat runs de woild!"

Yank feels powerful and believes he belongs where he is. He sees himself as the force that drives the world forward.

Scene 2: 
Mildred Douglas, a wealthy young woman, daughter of the steel magnate who owns the ship, visits the stokehole out of curiosity. When she sees Yank, covered in sweat and grime, she is horrified and calls him:

"Oh, the filthy beast!"

Her words humiliate Yank deeply. He begins to question his identity and place in the world. This marks the beginning of his psychological crisis.

Scene 3: 
Yank is shaken. His pride and sense of belonging are shattered. He’s confused and angry, unable to understand why Mildred's reaction affects him so deeply.

"She tought I was a ape! Christ, dat gets me—yuh don't belong no place."

Scene 4: 
Yank walks the streets of New York trying to find a place where he belongs. He sees the rich people on Fifth Avenue and becomes angry at their wealth and detachment.

"I’m tryin’ to git down to her level—see?—de bottom—where dey ain’t no front!"

He tries to confront the rich but is dismissed and arrested.

Scene 5: 
In jail, Yank meets a fellow prisoner who introduces him to radical politics. Yank considers joining the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), hoping they can help him take revenge on the rich.

"I’m wise to myself now. I’m an ape! Bah! Yuh heerd what she called me."

Scene 6: 
Yank visits a radical workers’ group, but they reject him, suspecting he is a spy or not serious about the cause. He is once again left without a place to belong.

"Even they don't want me. Ain’t dat a laugh?"

Scene 7: 
Yank tries to connect with workers at a steel factory, thinking he can find belonging among them. But they ignore him. He feels more alienated than ever.

"I ain't no use. I ain't on de map no more."

Scene 8: 
In the final scene, Yank visits a zoo and stands before a gorilla’s cage. He speaks to the gorilla, believing they share something in common.

"Say, you seen a lady once, eh? Sure. You seen her, wit her all white and pale like a ghost..."

He opens the cage, tries to embrace the gorilla, but the animal crushes him to death. Yank dies in isolation, completely disconnected from society and his own identity.

"So he dies—without identity—without belonging—like a real hairy ape."

Themes and Symbolism

  • Alienation: Yank’s journey is a descent into self-awareness and estrangement.
  • Class Struggle: The divide between the working class (Yank) and the upper class (Mildred) is central.
  • Identity Crisis: Yank’s self-worth is based on physical labor, but society doesn't value him.
  • Dehumanization: The title "Hairy Ape" reflects the way industrial society reduces men to beasts.


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